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IT’S all
systems go for the start of classes on Monday as some 20
million students will troop back to private and public
schools, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on
Sunday.
“We’re
all systems go . . . as in previous years, we have been
working ’round the clock to ensure that going to school,
especially for the first timers, will be a wholesome
experience,” Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said.
DepEd
added 16,390 new teaching positions for school year 2007
in order to address the lack of teachers, especially in
areas experiencing acute shortages.
Of the
new teacher items, 12,000 teaching positions have
already been allocated to specific schools, while the
rest are expected to be deployed in areas in urgent need
of teachers.
Lapus,
however, admitted that there may be some “kinks” but
with the preparations undertaken by the department, the
ill-effects can be minimized.
“Oplan
Balik Eskwela Command Center is doing a good job in
ensuring all school opening concerns are addressed,” he
added.
Oplan
Balik Eskwela is the annual interagency effort initiated
by the DepEd to ensure the smooth opening of classes.
The
transportation sector announced its assistance to the
students with the Department of Transportation and
Communications assuring safety in all land, air and sea
terminals nationwide to prevent lawless elements from
preying on students. Jeepney groups, on the other hand,
promised not to stage a strike despite the spriralling
prices of petroleum products.
Earlier
the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority announced
that it will field 3,000 personnel to ensure the smooth
movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic near
schools.
Lapus,
quoting the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), advised
students to prepare for rain showers on Monday as the
southwest monsoon, or habagat, has already set in.
Of the
20 million students expected to troop to school, 13.25
million are elementary pupils while 6.43 million are in
high school.
Colleges
and universities will start classes on June 13, chairman
Carlito Puno of the Commission on Higher Education said.
This
year, Lapus said the classroom to student ratio was set
to 1:45 as against last year’s 1:50.
In some
areas, however, the classroom to student ratio is
upwards of 1:70 with lower grades and years hitting as
high as 1:100. The double-shifting scheme for holding
classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon,
however, was maintained.
Lapus
likewise disclosed that there are still 133 schools
nationwide where classrooms are being used on three
shift basis. He, however, stressed that the DepEd yearly
target for classroom to student ratio is being reduced
by five students annually to bring it to the ideal ratio
of 1:30.
Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza ordered the
strict implementation of security measures in all land,
air and sea terminals nationwide.
Mendoza
said this is the role of the Transportation department
in the interagency task force implementing Oplan Balik
Eskwela.
In
Zamboanga City, Chief Supt. Jaime Caringal, Zamboanga
Peninsula police commander, has ordered city and
provincial police directors to implement strict security
measures in all schools during the opening of classes in
the region.
Zamboanga
Peninsula
is composed of Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, and
Zamboanga del Norte, and the cities of Ipil, Isabela,
and Zamboanga.
The
Zamboanga Peninsula police has readied security measures
dubbed as Operations Plan Balik Eskwela (back-to-school)
to be implemented in coordination with the local
governments.
Interior
Secretary Ronaldo Puno earlier ordered Department of the
Interior and Local Governments offices, governors, town
and city mayors, barangay chairmen and other agencies to
help in the implementation of Oplan Balik Eskwela. --With
B. Garcia Jr. |
